Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Here are answers to some of the questions we’ve been asked. Don’t see the answer here? Ask away!

When and where do you rehearse?

We rehearse every Tuesday from September to mid-June, 7:15 – 9:30 PM at St. Margaret’s Cedar Cottage Anglican Church, 1530 E. 22nd Avenue (at Dumfries, near the corner of Kingsway and Knight), Vancouver. The first rehearsal in the fall is usually the Tuesday after Labour Day. We also usually have a weekend retreat (Friday evening to Saturday mid-afternoon) once per term.

Do I have to identify as LGBTQ+ to sing with you?

No you don’t. We welcome people of all genders, orientations, and levels of ability who want to sing together in community, centering the experience of LGBTQ+ people.

Our only restriction is that members have to be 19+.

Is there an audition?

No! (Though if you would like some advice on which section or part to sing, the director would be happy to spend a few minutes with you at the piano.) You will never be asked to sing alone, though there are opportunities if you decide you want to try a solo.

Do I have to be able to read music?

No! We have a number of members who sing with us very successfully who don’t read music at all.

Do you use rehearsal recordings?

Yes, rehearsals are recorded on Zoom and can be viewed later. Members can also participate in the rehearsals by Zoom if they cannot attend in person (e.g. not feeling well, out of town, etc.).

Do you only accept new members in September?

No, feel free to drop by any time! We have our major concerts in January and June. If you are joining right before a concert, you and the director will decide together whether you’re ready to perform, but you’re still welcome to come on Tuesdays and sing!

What is the expected time commitment?

We have two sessions each year running from September to January and February to June. Rehearsals are held weekly during each session on Tuesday evenings from 7:30 – 9:30 PM. We hold two concerts a year, in late January and late June. We have a retreat during each session which encompasses Friday evening and Saturday until 3 PM. In addition, we hold several outreach performances each year. There is never more than one non-Tuesday outreach per month.

Do I have to memorize the music?

No. It makes for a better concert experience (for both the singers and the audience) if you have your music memorized, so we do encourage you to try to memorize as much as possible. However, you can use printed music during concerts if you need it (and many people do).

What if I need to miss a rehearsal?

We understand that we all have lives outside of choir, and sometimes that means missing a rehearsal. If you aren’t going to be there on a Tuesday, or for some other scheduled choir event, we ask that you let your section leader know. If you need to miss several rehearsals, we’d still like to have you come on Tuesdays and sing with us, and you and the director can decide together whether you’ll be ready to sing in the concert.

What if I need to miss an outreach performance?

Attendance at outreach concerts is optional. When we are scheduling something for a time other than a Tuesday, we ask the choir as far in advance as possible to make sure that we’ll have enough singers to participate. We do ask that if you indicate you can attend an outreach performance, that you make every effort to follow through.

What kind of music do you sing?

A variety. We sing pop/rock, vocal jazz, madrigals or light classical pieces, selections from musicals, folk songs, and music that defies categorization. We mostly sing in English, but we have been known to sing in Italian, Spanish, and Russian, to name a few. We sing songs from the LGBTQ+ repertoire that tend to be positive, uplifting and meaningful.

Do you sing religious music?

Generally, no. Very occasionally we’ll sing something with the word “god” in it, but it’s usually music that leaves the definition up to the singers and audience.

Can I bring my child/pet to rehearsals?

Regretfully, no. Choir is a group of adults who get together for just two hours a week, and the focus is on singing. We’d be happy to meet your child/pet at a choir social event, but they can cause too much distraction at rehearsals. (Assistance animals are, of course, welcome.)

Does it cost money to join the choir?

We don’t want finances to be a barrier to anyone’s involvement. Everyone pays $5 per year to become a member of the Society. There is also an $15 annual music license fee. (If paying that all at once is a problem, talk to our Treasurer.) The amount you pay to help support the choir on top of that is up to you. The suggested monthly dues is $40, but some people pay less, and some pay more.

Are you a registered charity?

Yes. We are both a non-profit society and a registered charity. Donations can be made through our website, and tax receipts will be issued for all amounts over $20.

How often do you perform?

We have two major concerts a year, usually late January and late June. We also sing at smaller outreach performances every few months.  We’ve sung at community centres, seniors’ homes, hospitals, fundraisers, and church services, to name a few. Some years we make an out-of-town trip – the most recent was our trip to Calgary in May of 2018 to perform in the Unison Festival Unisson 2018!

Will you come and sing for my group/event?

We do a number of smaller appearances throughout the season, both paid and volunteer. If you’d like to invite us to sing, please contact outinharmony@gmail.com.

CONTACT US

Box 631 - 1771 Robson St.
Vancouver, BC  V6G 1C9
outinharmony@gmail.com

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We would like to acknowledge the financial support of the Province of British Columbia.

We would like to acknowledge that we meet and perform on the unceded territory of the Coast Salish peoples: the xwməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), Stó:lō and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations who have lived here since time immemorial and continue to do so to this day.